College basketball is over, but Duke’s Cassius Stanley had 29 dunks that will live on
If you tuned in to any Duke basketball game this year, you probably saw Cassius Stanley throw down a monster dunk. More than once, that meant a one-handed alley-oop off a pass from teammate Tre Jones.
The freshman guard scored 58 points for Duke on 29 dunks this past season (he had 364 points total). Stanley dunked at least once in nearly half the games he played in for the Blue Devils, and he dunked four times in two games — against Georgia Tech (Jan. 8) and Louisville (Jan 18).
Before the season, Stanley posted a 46.5-inch vertical jump, which is higher than that of the former NCAA men’s basketball vertical leap record-holder and last season’s top NBA draft pick Zion Williamson (45-inch vertical).
Stanley utilized his ups on the court this year to throw down viral dunks weekly. With the college basketball season officially over, here is a look back at his 10 best dunks:
10. NOV. 5 WIN OVER KANSAS
In the first game of the season, Stanley notched back-to-back dunks against No. 3 Kansas. His first one came off a steal by Jones, who set up the assist. The Jayhawks then missed a 3-point shot, which was rebounded by Duke’s Jack White and passed off to Jones. Jones set up Stanley for his second dunk in a row, which lifted the Blue Devils to tie the game at 47-47 with 12 minutes remaining in the second half. Duke won the season opener 68-66, and Stanley set the tone for his freshman season.
9. NOV. 8 WIN OVER COLORADO STATE
Stanley demonstrated his broad-jumping skills as he soared forward for one of his three dunks of the night against Colorado State. The 6-foot-6’ guard took off outside the paint and landed on the baseline after receiving the ball off a steal by teammate Alex O’Connell. Stanley then slammed the ball down one-handed to give Duke a 46-28 lead with just over 18 minutes left in the game.
8. NOV. 26 LOSS TO STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
With just under 18 minutes left in the second half, Jones lobbed the ball to Stanley, who had no trouble finding an opening in the center of the paint to slam down a one-handed alley-oop, putting Duke up 49-42 over Stephen F. Austin. Stanley averaged 14 points that game, but Duke fell to SFA 85-83 in overtime.
7. JAN. 4 WIN OVER MIAMI
Stanley makes the miraculous look easy here. His one-handed alley-oop off an inbound pass became a staple this season. The freshman again demonstrated why it’s so deadly when Jones lobbed the ball high to Stanley from the baseline in the first half against Miami. Stanley caught it one-handed for an untouchable slam dunk. Duke beat Miami 95-62.
6. JAN. 8 WIN OVER GEORGIA TECH
Jones and Stanley further established their offensive rhythm against Georgia Tech a few days later. Jones dunked four times against Georgia Tech. Shown here are two of his three alley-oops assisted by Jones, the first of which was a two-handed dunk off a fast break, and the second of which Jones set up Stanley for a one-handed jam with no one guarding him. Duke defeated Georgia Tech, 73-64, with Stanley contributing 14 points.
5. JAN. 18 LOSS TO LOUISVILLE
Louisville was a highlight night for Stanley, who scored his season-best 24 points and notched four impressive dunks despite Duke’s eventual 79-73 loss to Louisville. The Cardinals were unable to stop Stanley, however, who was 9 for 10 on free throws. Stanley continued to get past Louisville’s defenders to either draw the foul or slam home a dunk untouched.
4. JAN. 28 WIN OVER PITTSBURGH
Cameron Indoor Stadium erupted after Stanley threw down his signature one-handed dunk off a Pittsburgh turnover early in the first half. White initiated the play, knocking the ball away from Pittsburgh under the basket and into the hands of teammate Vernon Carey Jr., who passed the ball up the court to Jones. Jones did what he does: Fed the ball to Stanley for the put-away. That was his first of two slam dunks of the night during Duke’s 79-67 win.
3. FEB. 10 WIN OVER FLORIDA STATE
With the score tied at 44 and just under 13 minutes left on the clock in the second half, Carey went up for a shot in the paint. The ball bounced off the rim, but Stanley ran in from the wing to jam the ball into the basket off a one-handed rebound. That gave Duke the lead en route to its 70-65 victory over FSU.
2. FEB. 25 LOSS TO WAKE FOREST
Duke rebounded a missed Wake Forest shot with the Blue Devils leading 53-46 in the second half. Jones set up Carey for a two-handed alley-oop, but the ball bobbled out. Stanley followed behind Carey for the two-handed stuff to force a Wake timeout. Despite Stanley’s 16-point game, the Demon Deacons made a late comeback for a 101-113 double-overtime victory.
1. MAR. 2 WIN OVER NC STATE
Stanley silenced NC State with two monster dunks at home — the first of which he delivered with just over 11 minutes left in the second half with Duke up 57-49. Stanley put away a feed at the basket from teammate Jordan Goldwire, then hung out on the rim for a split-second. His second alley-oop was met with equally loud cheers at Cameron Indoor Stadium when he threw down a one-handed dunk for a 61-52 Blue Devils’ lead a few minutes later. Stanley scored 14 points during Duke’s 88-69 win over NC State.
